The use of portable electronic devices and mobile communication devices has increased dramatically in recent years. Mobile communication devices are capable of distributing various forms of media and can also distribute location based information. Mobile communications devices can be equipped with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) for identifying a location of the mobile communication device, and, accordingly, a user of the mobile communication device. The GPS allows a monitoring system to determine a physical position of the user's location through GPS readings. The GPS readings can provide a coordinate of the mobile communication device. Services can be provided in accordance with the location of the mobile device based on the GPS readings. Such services include location aware services which provide custom services based on a location of the user.
A mobile communication device equipped with GPS can also be used to monitor activity, or ensure that a user stays within a certain area. For example, location awareness can be deployed for monitoring children, the elderly, or individuals under a surveillance order. The mobile communication device can be attached to the user to monitor their location and movement. On problem faced with location based systems is to be able to accurately determine the location of the individual when GPS coverage has been compromised. The mobile communication device may at times lose coverage with a GPS satellite. For example, the signals from the mobile communication device may be blocked by physical structures such as buildings or walls. Under these conditions, the location of the mobile communication device is temporarily unavailable. During these times, the location of the user is unknown and uncertain.
Moreover, malicious attempts can be made to trick or confuse the GPS system to provide misleading location information. For example, the mobile communication device can be tampered with to provide false readings. Under this situation, a monitoring system will not only provide inaccurate readings, but it will also be unaware that the readings are misleading. Accordingly, a need therefore exists for a location awareness monitoring system that can verify a location of a mobile communication device and determine when the system readings are misleading.